Yike Bike: electric folding penny-farthing blends 19th century tech with 21st
Yike Bike – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you don't mind your handlebars being located beside your butt and endless giggles and smirks as you roll by then perhaps the YikeBike is the fancy bit of urban mobility kit you've been yearning. Looking something like a space-age version of that charming British improvement on the French boneshaker bike, this mini penny-farthing is minimalist but packs some cool features. Not only is it equipped with turning and braking indicators but it is the first "bike" to feature anti-locking brakes. The carbon fiber frame ensures strength but keeps it light enough (10 kg/22 lb) to carry up a couple flights of stairs after you spend the 15 seconds it takes to fold it up.
It's said that its 1 kW motor offers a power to weight ratio better than many sports cars and makes acceleration brisk but the electronically set speed limit of 20 km/h (12.5 mph) will keep you from overtaking any Porsches on the straightaways. Unless there's heavy traffic. That's where the Yikebike's small footprint and maneuverability might turn smirks of superiority to expressions of envy. The lithium battery can take you 9 to 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) and takes 20 minutes to charge 80 percent. Don't look for this sleek set of wheels on sale in America anytime soon as the roll out early next summer includes only a handful of European countries and its home turf, New Zealand. With a price to be set somewhere between €3,500 - €3,900 ($4,989 - $5,559) we suspect it won't cause cities to be designed around them as the Segway was supposed to do but if they ever figure out a way to play polo on them, look out! Hit the jump for videos featuring lots of modern electric penny-farthing action. Thanks to Cordite for the tip!
Gallery: YikeBike
[Source: YikeBike]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dg 1:20PM (9/03/2009)
Cool. Just get the price down and I'll consider it.
Also, 22lbs is pretty light for an electric bike, but being that's it's meant to be carried around a bit more than other electric bikes, I'd like to see them get that weight down a little bit more.
Reply
wincros 1:39PM (9/03/2009)
Insane. The bicycle with equal sized wheels was called the "safety bike" when it was introduced. The large wheeled bike with small trailing wheel was abandoned completely and instantly. It no longer took an acrobat to stay upright. Injuries were vastly reduced when people were able to actually control them for the first time.
There are already dozens of folding, portable bicycles with Birdy, Brompton, and Green Gear making some of the better ones. Some of them come with electric motors built in, or available as an option. They are not new. They are tried and true.
http://www.nycewheels.com/electric-folding-bike.html
Police in some beach communities use a nonfolding variety, not for the ease of not pedaling, but for the advantage of speed combining leg and electric motor power, a human/electric hybrid, if you will.
Reply
Tim 1:45PM (9/03/2009)
I was totally laughing until I saw them fold it up and carry it away.
I'm NOT laughing now because this is an EXCELLENT design. K.I.S.S. at it's finest!
What... $4,500 - $5,000 each????
I'll STOP laughing when scale brings the MSRP price below $1,250/ea.
Reply
Will 10:12AM (9/04/2009)
I'll stop laughing when I can't blast right past it on my cheap bike.
Mark Kiernan 3:09PM (9/03/2009)
Will go the way of segway if they want that price. (you could get a good electric scooter for that price)
Reply
Evan 4:15PM (9/03/2009)
6 mile range at 12mph? I'll pedal that on a bicycle! I don't need to spend $5,000 on an electric bike to go 6 miles.
Reply
FitFan 5:18PM (9/03/2009)
Cool design. 22lbs is nothing if you have a bag with a shoulder strap.
It is too expensive though.
Reply
Lorena Palin 5:32PM (9/04/2009)
12 mph is slower than a normal bike. and there are regular folding bikes that are much cheaper.
Also, anyone remember those go-ped scooters? Don't those things fold up, and go like 20 mph?
Reply